Disgraced surgeon creates his own tartan

A DISGRACED surgeon behind a string of botched operations has caused outrage by officially registering his own tartan.

Muftah Salem Eljamel was suspended in 2014 and resigned from his job as a consultant neurological surgeon soon after bungling back operations, leaving several patients in pain.

Despite the scandal, Mr Eljamel recently registered a formal tartan for his family and descendants, even paying extra for his creation to be displayed in a frame.

Disgraced Surgeon Mr Muftah Salem Eljamel

According to the Registration notes, Mr Eljamel, who worked at Ninewells, Dundee, used white in the design “for purity, sincerity and peace”.

He also used “black for strength and courage, green for hope and love, red for honour and sacrifice, blue for strength and loyalty; and yellow for generosity and charity”.

Winnie Williamson from Fife, trained at the London School of Contemporary Dance but was left with long-term injuries and had to end her dance career after failed surgery.

She said: “I feel that if an individual or organisation has been hugely influential within the community, then a unique tartan associated with them only underpins the good work and commitment.

“This particular individual has done none of these things – in fact he has only succeeded in causing misery and pain.

“The fact he has the audacity to think he has earned this privilege makes me believe he has absolutely no moral ground or a caring bone in his body.”

The ‘Sam Eljamel’ tartan on The Scottish Register of Tartans

Another one of Mr Eljamel’s former patients, Pat Kelly, from Dundee, was left with health difficulties after a back operation, echoes Ms Williamson’s sentiments.

He said: “Some of us are struggling to get about each day and yet he can find time to register a family tartan. Can he not find the time to apologise for his failings?

“It appears to me that he is continually flouting and taunting us with his escapades. This again shows another side to his utter arrogance by getting a tartan named after himself.”

After taking the time to design the tartan and then name it after himself, Mr Eljamel shelled out extra to have his creation framed.

Pat Todd, Assistant at The Scottish Register of Tartans said: “It usually costs £70 to register a tartan with us but to have your tartan framed, like Mr Eljamel did, it costs an extra £30.”

Mr Eljamel was suspended after a bungled operation in which he performed surgery on the wrong spinal disc.

He also resigned from his teaching position at Dundee University after the initial interim suspension order by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.

Despite the suspension and loss of his teaching role, Mr Eljamel caused outrage by jetting off to Copacabana Beach in Brazil whilst his former patients were left bed-ridden.

Mr Kelly, a former radio DJ, was one such patient, said at the time: “I simply cannot believe that this man, who has left a trail of misery and destruction, can simply skip off on a jolly to the Copacabana Beach.”

Since Mr Kelly first called for a public inquiry back in 2007, accident claims solicitors have had to deal with over 100 similar cases.

Mr Eljamel left his position with NHS Tayside and handed back his licence to practice in August before a hearing to determine whether he should be struck off took place.